Plural color lamp indicator

ABSTRACT

Indicator apparatus comprising a plurality of light bulbs, conveniently capless light bulbs, each of which can emit a primary light beam to a common region and a second light beam to an individual region associated with that particular light bulb. The primary light beam of some of the light bulbs has a first color, e.g. red, while the primary light beam of others of the light bulbs has a second color, e.g. yellow. The secondary light beam of all the light bulbs has a third color, e.g. blue or green, imparted to it by a filter which is substantially opaque to stray or unwanted light from the first or second colored primary light beam so as to avoid a false or confusing visual indication being obtained from the apparatus.

ite tin tint hai'nnrd [151 Web. l, W

[21] Appl. No.: 76%26 [30] ll oreim Application lPr'iority Unto Oct. 3,1969 Great Britain ..i8,729/69 [52] US. Cl. .wltl/Ilhll 34 0/ l l2 [5 lint. tCi

[58] llielltl olifiearelh ..340/ll2, BEN

[56] lltelierences [Citetil UNITED STATES PATENTS Stork ..340/ l 12Primary Examiner llilarold l. Pitts Attorney-William D. Hall, Elliott l.Pollock, George Vande Sande, Charles F. Steininger and Robert R. PriddyIndicator apparatus comprising a plurality of light bulbs, convenientlycapless light bulbs, each of which can emit a primary light beam to acommon region and a second light beam to an individual region associatedwith that particular light bulb. The primary light beam of some of thelight bulbs has a first color, cg. red, while the primary light beam ofothers of the light bulbs has a second color, e.g. yellow. The secondarylight beam of all the light bulbs has a third color, cg blue or green,imparted to it by a filter which is substantially opaque to stray orunwanted light from the first or second colored primary light beam so asto avoid a false or conlhsing visual indication being obtained from theapparatus.

9 tClntntn 5 Drawing ll iguren PAIENTEHFEH 15 1912 3,643,255

sum 1 OF 2 y Wu; 1 M f l/ama lPlLlUll lAlL Ctlllbtlil't LAP/ill?llhllIlilllCA'll Ullil The present invention is directed to subjectmatter similar to that described in Barnard and Bishop prior copendingapplication Ser. hlo. $84,967, filed Dec. 15, 1969, for Holder for aCapless Light Bulb.

This invention relates to indicator apparatuses and in particular to anindicator apparatus for visually indicating to an observer a conditionin equipment to which the indicator apparatus is connected.

According to this invention there is provided an indicator apparatus forvisually indicating to an observer a condition in equipment to which theindicator apparatus is connected, comprising a casing provided with awindow that has a first portion and a plurality of distinct secondportions which are each of smaller area than the area of said firstportion. At least one first electrically energizable light source and atleast one second electrically energizable light source, each of saidlight sources being intended to be electrically connected to theequipment so as to be electrically energized when a condition is presentin the equipment, are mounted within the casing so that, upon electricalenergization, a part of the light emitted by any one light source willbe visible as a primary beam of light through said first window portionand a remaining part of the light emitted by each light source will bevisible as a secondary beam of light specific to the condition throughan as sociated second window portion. First light filtering means areprovided to impart a first color to the primary beam emanating from saidfirst light source(s); second light-filtering means are provided toimpart a second color to the primary beam emanating from said secondlight source(s); and third light-filtering means are provided to imparta third color to the secondary beam emanating from said first lightsource(s)'and from said second light source(s); said first, second andthird colors being different from one another and such that said thirdlightfiltering means is substantially opaque both to light having saidfirst color and to light having said second color.

By being substantially opaque both to light having said first color andto light having said second color, the third light-filtering means willtransmit little or no stray or unwanted light having either said firstor said second color. Such stray or unwanted light could possibly occurwhere some of the first colored light, e.g., emanating from oneelectrically energized first light source would otherwise be transmittedthrough a nonenergized light source to be visible through the secondwindow portion associated with that nonenergized light source andthereby give a false or confusing visual indication.

As used herein, the term color" does not include white.

Preferably at least one of said first, second and third colors is atleast nearly a saturated color. Conveniently the first, second and thirdcolors may be red yellow and blue respectively, although preferably theyare red, yellow and green respectively.

The first and/or second filtering means may be constituted by a coloringagent in or on a translucent material. The translucent material may beof sheet plastics material, or preferably is of glass forming a portionof a glass envelope associated with respectively the first and/or secondlight source.

The third filtering means may be constituted by a coloring agent in oron a translucent material. The translucent material may be glass forminga portion of a glass envelope associated with the first and second lightsources, or preferably is of sheet plastics material.

Preferably each light source is a capless light bulb comprising anelectric element and two supply wires surrounded by a sealed glassenvelope that is formed with a primary bulbous portion spaced about theelement and with a secondary, pinched portion sealed about the supplywires, the supply wires projecting from the pinched portion and beingbent back upon themselves, preferably one on each side, over theexternal surface of the pinched portion to constitute the terminals ofthe capless light bulb.

Preferably there is provided holding means adapted to mount the caplesslight bulbs within the casing each in sub stantial alignment with itsassociated second portion of the window so that, for each capless lightbulb, said primary and secondary beams emanate respectively from saidprimary, bulbous portion and from said secondary, pinched portion.

Preferably the first portion of the window does not incorporate withinits larger area the smaller area second portions of the window.

BRIEF llESCRllPTlON OF THE DRAWINGS lFlG. 2 is a crosssectional viewtaken along the line Il-Il of EKG. ll;

ElG. 3 shows a detail of H6. 2 on a larger scale;

H6. at is a cross-sectional view taken along the. line lV-lV of Fit 3;and

lFllG. ii is a perspective view of an electrical connector.

DEfiCRllPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIGS. land 2, the indicator apparatus is housed in a casing it) formed ofplastics material and shaped generally as a parallelepiped ofrectangular cross section, the front wall ll of the casing beingseparable from the remainder of the casing and comprising a window thatis divided into upper and lower portions 112 and 113. The upper portion112 is recessed inwardly so that part of the casing top wall (which partis integral with the front wall llll) extends forwardly thereof toconstitute a shroud, is continuous, and extends almost the whole widthof the front wall from casing side wall to casing side wall. The lowerportion l3 is discontinuous, the discontinuations being provided by sixapertures is each of which is covered externally by a strip 15 ofgreen-colored translucent material. Alternatively the strips 115 may beof blue-colored translucent material. The upper and lower portions ofthe window are separated along their length by an intermediate wall lltithat projects inwardly of the casing towards the rear wall and that isgenerally parallel to the top and bottom walls of the casing.

A holder l'? is moulded of opaque (preferably white) plastics materialwith six similar chambers (each of which is to receive a capless lightbulb 2'0) and with means for removable snap-fit attachment of the holderto the front wall llll internally of the casing between the intermediateand bottom walls lid and lb of the casing. Each capless light bulb 20(see H6. 2.) comprises an electric element and two supply wires sur'rounded by a sealed glass envelope that is formed with a bulbous portionZlil spaced about the element and with a pinched portion 22 sealed aboutthe supply wires, the supply wires projecting from the pinched portionand being bent back upon themselves, one on each side, over the externalsurface of the pinched portion to constitute the terminals of thatcapless light bulb. The bulbous portions of some of the light bulbs arecoated with a red-colored translucent film and the bulbous portions ofsome others of the light bulbs are coated with yellow-coloredtranslucent film. Alternatively red or yellow colored translucent capsmay be fitted around the clear, noncolored bulbous portions, or red oryellow color imparting pig ments may be introduced into the glass mixprior to forming the bulbous portions. Preferably the red and yellowcolors are saturated red and saturated yellow (or at least as near aspossible to saturated red and saturated yellow). The six similarchambers, one for each capless light bulb, are provided through theholder 117 in aligned communication with the apertures lid. Each chamber(see also FIG. 3) is internally fitted with two identical contactelements constituted by resilient metallic contact strips 23 disposed tobe each a mirror image of the other. The rear ends 24 of the contactstrips 23 directly engage the terminals of a capless light bulb in theregion of its pinched portion 22 so that the bulbous portion 21 projectsfrom the rear (i.e., inner) end of the holder 17. The aperture 14through the opposite end of the holder (i.e., through the casing frontwall 11) is such that in use illumination from the light bulbs electricelement may travel rearwardly of the light bulb (i.e., forwardly of thecasing) through the pinched portion 22 of the glass envelope andoutwardly of the holder 17 through its associated aperture 14 in saidopposite end. The front ends 25 of the contact strips 23 (see FIG. eachhave at least one open-ended elongate slot 40 therein to accommodatetransversely of the strip the central conductor of an insulated supplylead 26. Each pair of contact strips 23 thereby serve as electricalconnectors for interconnecting the two terminals of a capless light bulband the two insulated electrical supply leads for those terminals.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the six chambers of the holder17 is of generally rectangular cross section with internal dimensionssubstantially equal to the dimensions of each aperture 14. The top wall27 of each chamber has two holes 31, 33 therethrough in verticalalignment with two holes 32, 34 extending through the bottom wall 28 ofthat chamber. Channels 29 extending longitudinally of each chamber(i.e., normal to the front wall ll.) are provided in the chamber top andbottom walls at their intersection with the chamber side walls 30. Eachsidewall is stepped intermediate its length to provide a shoulder 35that faces the casing front wall 11. As best shown in FIG. 5, eachcontact each contact strip 23 is shaped from a metal sheet stamping ofgenerally E-shaped configuration, so that its two outer limbs 38 faceone another and are disposed substantially at right angles to thecentral limb 39. The limbs 38 adjacent their rear ends 24 are bowedinwardly towards one another and at their planar, platelike front ends25 are each provided with an open-ended longitudinally directed elongateslot 40 defined by the parallel edges of jaws 37 (having suddenlydiverging extremities) that form part of that limbs front end. Thecentral limb 39 is provided intermediate its ends with a laterallybent-out tag 41.

During assembly, the holder 17 is placed on a jig (not shown) having sixvertically upstanding blocks which enter into the front ends (i.e.,those to be disposed nearest casing front wall 11) of the holders sixchambers whereby the two pairs of holes 31, 32 and 33, 34 are each inhorizontal alignment. For each chamber, the end portion of one insulatedsupply lead 26 is inserted horizontally first through hole 32 and thenon through hole 31, and the end portion of another insulated supply lead26 is inserted horizontally first through hole 34 and then on throughhole 33. Thus each supply lead end portion is supported in a generallyhorizontal attitude by the holders temporarily vertically disposed topand bottom walls 27, 28 and is temporarily supported in between thesewalls 27, 28 by the planar uppermost horizontal face of the jig blockprojecting into that chamber.

An electrical connector for each of the two supply leads 26 in eachchamber (which connector is constituted by a contact strip 23) isinserted vertically downwards into the chamber from the rear (i.e.,uppermost) end thereof with the slotted from end portion 25 leading. Thechannels 29 receive the lateral edges of central limb 39 and, duringinsertion, the chamber sidewall 30 parallel to central limb 39 isdeformed until the extremity of the resilient tag 41 passes the sidewallshoulder which thereafter inhibits removal of the connector. As theconnector is inserted, each pair of jaws 37 of its leading front endportion 25 engage the insulated supply lead 26 and cause the latter toenter into the elongate slot 40, defined by that pair of jaws, theinternal jaw edges simultaneously causing the insulation to be removedin the plane of the platelike front end part of each limb 38 so that theinternal jaw edges resiliently engage the sides of the central conductorof the otherwise insulated supply lead 26 in the two spaced-apartplanes. Thus each one of a pair of electrical connectors 23 is anchoredin each chamber by its tag 41 and is connected to each one of a pair ofsupply leads 26 at two locations spaced apart longitudinally of thatsupply lead. The holder I7 is then removed from the jig (whence eachinsulated supply lead 26 is unsupported between the limbs 38) and eitherbefore or after the holder 17 is snap-attached to the casing front wall11, a capless light bulb is inserted into the rear of each chamber withits pinched portion 22 leading so that the connector rear ends 24 snapover the pinched portion 22 to thereby removably retain the caplesslight bulb in the chamber and simultaneously engage its terminals.

The 12 insulated supply leads 26 are gathered together within the casingand pass through an aperture in the casing bottom wall 18 as a planarband 42 with the insulation of each supply lead 26 bonded (e.g.,adhesively) to the insulation of its neighboring supply lead 26.

A reflector 43 is located between the top and bottom walls of the casing10 to reflect light outwardly of the casing through the upper windowportion 12. The reflector 43 may be a white painted sheet curved both inthe vertical plane (as shown in FIG. 2) and in the horizontal plane, ormay be a similarly curved vacuum or pressure moulding fonned of whiteplastics material. A metal band 45 (e.g., aluminum) conforming to themaximum internal dimension of the reflector 43, locates the reflector inposition and serves as a heat shield and/or sink as well as to assist inthe reflection of light emanating from the bulbous portion of any onecapless light bulb.

In use, when one of the capless light bulbs is on, a beam of light isdirected rearwardly of the light bulb through the pinched portion 22(i.e., forwardly of the casing) and is visible in the lower portion 13of the window through the associated aperture 14 as a narrow beam ofgreen light due to the color of the translucent strip 15 covering thataperture. Simultaneously a beam of light from the same light bulb isdirected forwardly of the light bulb through the bulbous portion 21(i.e., rearwardly of the casing) and has a red or yellow color dependingon that bulbous portion's translucent coating. This red oryellow-colored light beam is reflected by the reflector 43 so as to passthrough the upper portion 12 of the window and be visible as a wide beamof red or yellow light extending substantially uniformly over the wholearea of the upper portion of the window.

Since the reflector 43 will also reflect some red or yellow lightthrough the remaining, unlit capless light bulbs, the green strips 15associated with those unlit light bulbs, acting as a filter, will stopthis unwanted red or yellow light passing wholly through the windowportion l3and so prevent observer confusion as to which of the caplesslight bulbs is actually on. It will be appreciated that the red oryellow coatings on the bulbous portions of the unlit capless light bulbswill themselves act to some extent as filters to the unwanted reflectedlight from the light bulb that is actually on. For example, if ayellow-coated capless light bulb is on, most of the unwanted reflectedyellow light can pass through the remaining unlit yellow-coated caplesslight bulbs and little if any can pass through the unlit red-coatedcapless light bulbs. Whether the light incident on on filter strips 15is wanted white" light emanating from the light bulbs glowing electricelement or is unwanted reflected red or yellow light transmitted by orthrough the glass envelope of an unlit light bulb, only the wanted lightis transmitted by the green filter strip 15 associated with the lightbulb that is actually on, the green filter strips 15 associated with theremaining unlit light bulbs being substantially opaque to the unwantedred or yellow light incident thereon. It will be readily appreciatedthat the color of the strips 15 can in practice be chosen to besubstantially opaque to both the light colors transmitted by or throughthe bulbous portions 21-; that is to say the range of light wavelengthsthat the filtering strips 15 will transmit can exclude the ranges of thelight wavelengths emanating from the coated bulbous portions. As analternative to the strips 15 being green (the preferred color), they maybe of blue colored translucent material which, although theoreticallymore suita- IOIOZQ 0l00 ble, in practicemight not transmit sufficientlight since the white light produced by the electric elements of thepreferred capless light bulbs is somewhat lacking in wavelengthsassociated with the color blue," and the color green" occupies asubstantial area (or volume) of the color triangle" (or space)seePhysical Aspects of Colour by Dr. P. J. Bouma (particularly FIG. lid andthe color plate photograph accompanying the book). Conveniently thegreen filter strips i5 may be of the material made and sold by BritishCelanese Limited and known as CELAS'iOiD 20, whereas the blue filterstrips 115 may be of the material made by British Celanese Limited andsold by Rank Strand Electric Limited as CiNEli/iOlD l9."

it will be apparent that the above described indicator apparatusprovides little or no masking of the capless light bulbs iii), thedistinction between light colors being provided by light-filteringmeans.

For example, if the indicator is connected in a motor vehicle, it may beconsidered imperative for the vehicle to be stopped immediately if anyone of the following (category A) conditions are present:

Low Oil Pressure High Coolant Temperature,

Low Brake Fluid,

Low Clutch Fluid,

Low Power-Steering Fluid,

Light Failure,

Bonnet or Doors Open; and to be stopped as soon as conveniently possibleif any one of the following (category B) conditions are present:

Generator Malfunction (e.g., broken fan belt),

Low Fuel Level,

Low Coolant Level,

Boot Open,

Brake Linings iii/om.

Although the presence of a specific condition in either of categories Aand B will be indicated to the observer by the smaller area of green (orblue) light visible over the aperture 114 in the lower portion 113 ofthe window, the degree of safety hazard may be convenientlydifferentiated between the two categories by covering the bulbousportions of the light bulbs corresponding to category A conditions withred-colored translucent cap or film coating, and by covering the bulbousportions of the light bulbs corresponding to the category B conditionswith a yellow-colored translucent cap or film coating. Furthermore, ifthe indicator is to be additionally used for indicating generallynon-hazardous (category C) conditions such as:

iiigh Light beam n,

Trafticator On,

iiandbrake Operational,

Spot or Fog or iieversing Light On, the bulbous portions Iii of thecapless light bulbs corresponding to each of these category C conditionsmay be masked or shielded from the reflector d3 so that light from anyone of these light bulbs is only visible as a small green (or blue) beamin the lower portion iii of the window over the aperture lid and is notvisible over the substantially larger area of the upper portion ill. ofthe window.

it will be appreciated that legends corresponding to the conditions maybe marked on the similarly colored translucent strips i5, or may bemarked on the forwardly directed edge of the intermediate wall id. [isan alternative to adhesively securing the green- (or blue) coloredstrips H5 in the apertures i i, they may be trapped between the holderi7 and the internal surface of casing front wall ii. in anotheralternative arrangement, the strips iii are omitted and each of theapertures lid is fitted with a removable button of green (or blue)colored translucent material to achieve the same result.

in an alternative construction the holder ll'i for the several caplesslight bulbs may be moulded integrally with the front wall ill and/or beformed of a clear transparent or a green (or blue) translucent plasticsmaterial, in which case the six chambers need not be aperturcd as at M-at their front ends remote from the bulbous portions of the light bulbs.Furthermore, instead of a single holder being moulded for severalcapless light bulbs, each light bulb may have an individual holder whichof course can be of modular construction to permit of ready couplingtogether of several such individual holders.

it will be apparent that the number of conditions to be indicated by theindicator, and their category, may be readily chosen by selecting (forcategories A and B) the desired number of light bulbs with the desiredcolored covering (or pigmentation) of their bulbous portions andinserting them into their chambers in the holder i7 from the front ofthe casing. The fact that the casing front wall ii is removablefacilitates this operation as well as the replacement of burntout lightbulbs. To facilitate individual selection of the conditions desired tobe indicated, and in which hazard category (A or B), the legends may beprovided on pressure-adhesive labels and the light bulbs may be chosenaccording to the color of the covering (or pigmentation) of theirbulbous portions (for hazard category C the color" may of course beblack).

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

i. indicator apparatus for visually indicating to an observer acondition in equipment to which the indicator apparatus is connected,comprising a. a casing provided with a window that has a first portion.

and a plurality of distinct second portions which are each of smallerarea than the area of said first portion;

at least one first electrically energizable light source and v at leastone second electrically energizable light source;

c. means for electrically connecting each of said light sources to theequipment for energization when a condition is present in the equipment;

. means for mounting said light sources within the casing so that, uponenergization, a part of the light emitted by any one light source willbe visible as a primary beam of light through said first window portionand a remaining part of the light emitted by each light source will bevisible as a secondary beam of light specific to the condition through asecond window portion associated with that light source;

e. first lighbfiltering means to impart a. first color to the primarybeam emanating from the or each said first light source;

it. second light-filtering means to impart a second color to the primarybeam emanating from the or each said second light source; and

g. third light-filtering means to impart a third color to the secondarybeam emanating from the or each said first light source and from the oreach said second light source; and wherein said first, second and thirdcolors are different from one another and such that said third lightfiltering means is substantially opaque both to light having said firstcolor and to light having said second color.

9.. indicator apparatus according to claim ll, wherein at least one ofthe said first, second and third collors is at least nearly a saturatedcolor.

3. indicator apparatus according to claim ll, wherein said first, secondand third colors are respectively red, yellow and blue.

d. indicator apparatus according to claim i, wherein said first, secondand third colors are respectively red, yellow and green.

indicator apparatus according to claim ll, wherein at least one of saidfirst, second and third filtering means is constituted by a coloringagent associated with a translucent material.

ti. indicator apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said thirdfiltering means is constituted by a coloring agent in a translucentsheet plastics material.

'3. indicator apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said firstfiltering means is constituted by a coloring agent on a translucentglass material forming a portion of the glass envelope that isassociated with the or each said first light l0l023 OlOl source, andwherein said second filtering means is constituted by a coloring agenton a translucent glass material forming a portion of the glass envelopethat is associated with the or each said second light source.

8. lndicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said lightsources is a capless light bulb comprising an electric element, twosupply wires, and a sealed glass envelope encompassing said element andpart of said supply wires; wherein the glass envelope comprises aprimary, bulbous portion spaced about the element and a secondary,pinched portion sealed about the supply wires; and wherein the supplywires project from the pinched portion and are bent back upon themselvesover the external surface of the pinched portion to constitute terminalsfor the capless light bulb.

9. lndicator apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mounting meanscomprises holding means for locating the capless light bulbs within thecasing each in substantial alignment with its associated second portionof the window so that for each capless light bulb said primary andsecondary beams emanate respectively from said primary, bulbous portionand from said secondary, pinched portion.

1. Indicator apparatus for visually indicating to an observer acondition in equipment to which the indicator apparatus is connected,comprising a. a casing provided with a window that has a first portionand a plurality of distinct second portions which are each of smallerarea than the area of said first portion; b. at least one firstelectrically energizable light source and at least one secondelectrically energizable light source; c. means for electricallyconnecting each of said light sources to the equipment for energizationwhen a condition is present in the equipment; d. means for mounting saidLight sources within the casing so that, upon energization, a part ofthe light emitted by any one light source will be visible as a primarybeam of light through said first window portion and a remaining part ofthe light emitted by each light source will be visible as a secondarybeam of light specific to the condition through a second window portionassociated with that light source; e. first light-filtering means toimpart a first color to the primary beam emanating from the or each saidfirst light source; f. second light-filtering means to impart a secondcolor to the primary beam emanating from the or each said second lightsource; and g. third light-filtering means to impart a third color tothe secondary beam emanating from the or each said first light sourceand from the or each said second light source; and wherein said first,second and third colors are different from one another and such thatsaid third light filtering means is substantially opaque both to lighthaving said first color and to light having said second color. 2.Indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of thesaid first, second and third colors is at least nearly a saturatedcolor.
 3. Indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first,second and third colors are respectively red, yellow and blue. 4.Indicator apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first, second andthird colors are respectively red, yellow and green.
 5. Indicatorapparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first,second and third filtering means is constituted by a coloring agentassociated with a translucent material.
 6. Indicator apparatus accordingto claim 5, wherein said third filtering means is constituted by acoloring agent in a translucent sheet plastics material.
 7. Indicatorapparatus according to claim 5, wherein said first filtering means isconstituted by a coloring agent on a translucent glass material forminga portion of the glass envelope that is associated with the or each saidfirst light source, and wherein said second filtering means isconstituted by a coloring agent on a translucent glass material forminga portion of the glass envelope that is associated with the or each saidsecond light source.
 8. Indicator apparatus according to claim 1,wherein each of said light sources is a capless light bulb comprising anelectric element, two supply wires, and a sealed glass envelopeencompassing said element and part of said supply wires; wherein theglass envelope comprises a primary, bulbous portion spaced about theelement and a secondary, pinched portion sealed about the supply wires;and wherein the supply wires project from the pinched portion and arebent back upon themselves over the external surface of the pinchedportion to constitute terminals for the capless light bulb.
 9. Indicatorapparatus according to claim 8, wherein the mounting means comprisesholding means for locating the capless light bulbs within the casingeach in substantial alignment with its associated second portion of thewindow so that for each capless light bulb said primary and secondarybeams emanate respectively from said primary, bulbous portion and fromsaid secondary, pinched portion.